WILKESBORO, N.C. – The Tyson Foods processing plant in Wilkesboro, which employs about 3,000 people, has had an outbreak of confirmed COVID-19 cases this week.

Health officials say this outbreak is causing neighboring counties to see a huge spike in cases. Forsyth County has increased from 153 to 245 cases this week and the health department says more than 50 percent of those new cases are connected to the Tyson plant.

Wilkes County, which is where the plant is located, has doubled in cases this week. Director of Poultry for Tyson Foods, Chad Martin, says they're doing everything they can to keep employees safe and prevent any further spread.

“From temperature scanning, from the surgical masks, to barriers installed out on the production floor, I really was pleased with what they had done,” Martin said.

He says they will not close the plant, but they may idle the plant for a few days for additional sanitation practices. The plant is also going to start testing employees on Monday.